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    Express Connect:Instructions for tenants

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    Express Connect:Instructions for tenants

    Last Updated:Apr 03, 2026

    Some Express Connect partners have already connected their networks to Alibaba Cloud access points. If you choose one of these Express Connect partners, you only need to connect your data center to the partner's access point, and then request them to create a hosted connection for you. Your job is to accept the shared port, then create a Virtual Border Router (VBR) to route traffic between your virtual private cloud (VPC) and your data center.

    Prerequisites

    Before you begin, make sure that:

    How it works

    The steps you follow depend on whether you are setting up a new hosted connection or adding a shared port to an existing one.

    Scenario Steps
    New hosted connection

    1. The partner creates a shared port.

    2. You accept the shared port (and pay the resource usage fee if you are the payer). If the partner pays the port resource usage fee, you only need to accept the shared port.

    3. You create a VBR.
    Add a shared port to an existing hosted connection

    1. The partner adds a shared port.

    2. You accept the shared port (and pay the resource usage fee if you are the payer). If the Express Connect partner is specified as the payer, you do not need to pay the resource usage fee.

    3. The partner confirms the shared port. The VBR the partner created for you is then automatically associated with the shared port — you do not need to create a VBR.

    Step 1: Accept a shared port

    After the partner creates or adds a shared port, accept it in the Express Connect console. If the partner is the payer, no payment is required on your end.

    1. Log on to the Express Connect console.

    2. In the top navigation bar, select the region of the hosted connection.

    3. On the Physical Connection page, find the hosted connection and click Accept and Pay in the Actions column.

      Accept shared port

    4. In the Accept dialog box, click OK.

    5. In the panel that appears, confirm the region and specification of the shared port, click Buy Now, and complete the payment.

    After payment, confirm that both fields match the following before proceeding to Step 2:

    Field Expected value
    Status Active
    Construction Process Complete
    For an existing hosted connection, the partner must confirm the shared port after you accept it. Once confirmed, your VBR is automatically associated with the new shared port. Your VBR configuration is unchanged and your service is not interrupted.

    Step 2: Create a VBR

    A VBR routes traffic between your VPC and your data center. Each shared port supports exactly one VBR.

    Important

    If you already have a VBR, it is automatically associated with the shared port after Step 1. Skip this step.

    1. Log on to the Express Connect console.

    2. In the top navigation bar, select a region.

    3. On the Physical Connection page, click the ID of the hosted connection.

    4. On the VBR tab, click Create VBR.

    5. In the Create VBR panel, configure the following parameters and click OK:

      1. Account — Defaults to Current Account, meaning the VBR belongs to the account you are logged in with.

      2. Name — Enter a name for the VBR.

      3. Physical Connection Information — Select Shared Physical Connection, then select the shared port ID. The shared port must be fully constructed and in a normal state.

      4. VLAN ID — Pre-filled by the Express Connect partner. This value cannot be changed.

      5. Alibaba Cloud Side IPv4 Address — Enter an IPv4 address for the VBR to route traffic from the VPC to your data center.

      6. Client-side IPv4 Interconnect IP — Enter an IPv4 address for the gateway device in your data center to route traffic from the data center to the VPC.

      7. IPv4 Subnet Mask — Enter the subnet mask for the two IPv4 addresses above. A long subnet mask is acceptable because only two IP addresses are required.

    After creating the VBR, you can adjust its bandwidth, modify its configuration, or delete it. For details, see Create and manage a VBR.

    What's next

    Delete a VBR

    See Delete a VBR.

    Stop instance access

    Disable a shared port to stop instance access. Before disabling, delete the VBR associated with the shared port.

    Important

    • A stopped instance is not released. Contact the partner to restore it to normal status.

    • A disabled shared port continues to incur charges. See Resource usage fees. To stop billing, unsubscribe from the shared port and release it.

    1. Log on to the Express Connect console.

    2. In the top navigation bar, select a region.

    3. On the Physical Connection page, find the shared port and choose More options > Terminate in the Actions column.

    4. In the message that appears, click OK.

    Delete a shared port

    Before deleting a shared port, delete the VBR associated with it.

    1. Log on to the Express Connect console.

    2. In the top navigation bar, select the region of the shared port.

    3. On the Physical Connection page, find the shared port and click Delete in the Actions column.

      • If the port has expired, click OK in the Confirm Deletion dialog box.

      • If the port is still billed, click OK in the Confirm Deletion dialog box. You are redirected to the refund page. See Unsubscription and refund policies.

    API reference